Technology has revolutionized the way businesses operate. From newspaper ads to digital ads and brick-and-mortar stores to websites, the journey has been gradual but successful. The way businesses communicate with customers has also changed. Conventional letters are being replaced by electronic emails that can be sent directly to customer inboxes within a single click. All this is possible with the help of one great invention: the internet.
All businesses rely on texts and emails to interact with their customers. Be it an ISP sending Spectrum deals internet and promotions via email, or a fashion brand offering deals through the same medium. Once an email is sent, businesses know that the message has reached potential customers immediately.
The Risks Associated with Email
Even though there are many benefits of emails, businesses may face some issues from time to time. As it is a digital platform, it presents many security risks for the business. Let us have a look at some of them.
Data Theft
A compromised email system can put sensitive business data at risk. Hackers can steal credit card details, personal details, and other such confidential information. This may damage the businesses’ reputation as customers might think that they have leaked their sensitive data. Moreover, if an organization’s email account with critical financial information is hacked, the criminals can mess with the entire financial system causing huge losses.
Domain Theft
Cybercriminals can gain access to the organization’s web hosting accounts for domain theft. Moreover, they can use the company’s email account to send out phishing emails and viruses. Everyone on the email list can receive these emails, even important business contacts.
Malware Threat
Criminals can use emails to attack computers with malware. Only a single click on the incorrect link can install a malicious program on the device. It can do anything like stealing crucial customer data from registrations or login forms, denying system access until a business makes a payment, or simply corrupting all the important data.
Tips to Secure Business Email
A jeopardized email system can lead to unthinkable consequences for the business. Therefore, they need to take email security seriously. Here are some useful tips to help keep it safe from all kinds of threats.
- Use Multi-Factor Authentication
Apart from the usual login and password, business email systems need much more advanced security options. They can invest in a multi-factor authentication system that offers face ID, fingerprint matching, permission texts before employees can access their business accounts, and other such options. It adds a security layer to ensure no outside party can access confidential files or accounts.
- Safeguard Domain Names
A domain name is a text that follows the ‘@’ symbol in this business’s email address. Businesses purchase unique domain names for a specific time. Once it expires, it becomes available in the market. Smart cybercriminals take advantage of this and spend on domain names previously used by an esteemed organization to impersonate it. Customers do not usually find out who is operating behind the official domain. They may think the business is asking for their confidential information and give it away to criminals instead. To avoid this fraud and putting valuable customers at risk, organizations must renew their domain names in time.
- Use Email Authentication
If a business owns a domain name, they need to set up email authentication measures to prevent email spoofing attacks. This happens when fraudsters send emails pretending it is from the business. They can do this even without hacking the email system. They can simply forge the ‘from:’ part to act like it is sent from the official business account. To prevent it, businesses must invest in authentication protocols that will ensure that spoofed emails do not go to customer inboxes but end up in their spam folder, or do not reach them at all.
- Encrypt Emails
Another step businesses can take to avoid email threats is to encrypt them. It allows them to have more control over sending and receiving them. They can revoke emails sent to the wrong email addresses and even know when the receiver opens them.
Moreover, it allows employees to send important emails without having to worry about data theft. It also ensures that only the intended recipient receives the email and requires a login and password to view these encrypted messages.
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